'He absolutely buried me' - Magic secures victory after unshipping Kelleway

Tuesday: Nottingham

Twenty four hours on from depositing his trainer on the gallops, Mukha Magic was back in Gay Kelleway's good books after he recorded his fourth win of the season.

Kelleway was happy to forget the seven-year-old’s misbehaviour after he took care of five rivals in the 1m6f handicap under Robert Havlin, winning by one and three-quarter lengths.

“I usually ride him out at home and he absolutely buried me. I’m still sore from it all but it shows that he was feeling good about himself,” said the trainer.

“He’s been totally transformed this season since we fitted him with a tongue strap and the only reason he was beaten at Kempton was because I forgot to declare it.

“His best form was on the all-weather but I think it’s just that he needed firm ground to do his best on grass.

“I bought this horse for about £30,000 at the Ascot breeze-up sales many years ago and he’s been a great servant.”

Mukha Magic has an entry for the Colwick Cup over two miles at the course on Friday but Kelleway is not sure yet whether he will take up the engagement.

“I will need to find a jockey for him if he is to run in that race and I want to consult with my handicapper to make sure it’s the right race for him,” she said.

In-form operation

The in-form joint-trainers Mike Murphy and Michael Keady registered a third success from their last four runners as Cooperation scored in the 6f handicap in the hands of Aiden Brookes, who went on to secure a double on the card aboard Nine Elms in the closing 1m2f apprentice handicap.

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